Sutera plant named &#39;Winsusnogb&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Sutera  plant named ‘WINSUSNOGB’ characterized by its low mounding to outwardly spreading and trailing plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant form; early and freely flowering habit; large white-colored flowers; long flowering season; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Sutera cordata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘WINSUSNOGB’.

Cross-reference to a related application and statement regarding priordisclosures by Inventor/Applicant:

This application claims priority to a Canadian Plant Breeders' Rightsapplication filed on Apr. 10, 2019, application number 19-9754. Therehave been no offers for sale anywhere in the world prior to theeffective filing date of this Application and no accessibility to one ofordinary skill in the art could have been derived from the printed PlantBreeder's Rights documents.

The Inventor/Applicant asserts that no publications nor advertisementsrelating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred morethan one year prior to the effective filing date of this application.Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from adirect or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. Applicant claims aprior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/orsales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to theeffective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Suteraplant, botanically known as Sutera cordata and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘WINSUSNOGB’.

The new Sutera plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Alajuela, Costa Rica. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new freely-branching and trailing Suteraplants with numerous large blue-colored flowers and high temperaturetolerance.

The new Sutera plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted bythe Inventor in November, 2016 in Alajuela, Costa Rica of two unnamedproprietary selections of Sutera cordata, not patented. The new Suteraplant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plantfrom within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledgreenhouse environment in Alajuela, Costa Rica on Sept. 8, 2017.

Asexual reproduction of the new Sutera plant by terminal vegetativecuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Zeeland, Mich. sinceOct. 6, 2017 has shown that the unique features of this new Sutera plantare stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Sutera have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘WINSUSNOGB’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘WINSUSNOGB’ as a new and distinct Sutera plant:

1. Low mounding to outwardly spreading and trailing plant habit.

2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.

3. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant form.

4. Early and freely flowering habit.

5. Large white-colored flowers.

6. Long flowering season.

7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Sutera can be compared to plants of the parentselections. Plants of the new Sutera differ primarily from plants of theparent selections in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Sutera are more vigorous and stronger than plantsof the parent selections.

2. Plants of the new Sutera have larger flowers than plants of theparent selection.

Plants of the new Sutera can be compared to plants of the Sutera cordata‘Danova780’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,789. In side-by-sidecomparisons, plants of the new Sutera differ primarily from plants of‘Danova780’ in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Sutera are larger than plants of ‘Danova780’.

2. Plants of the new Sutera have larger flowers than plants of‘Danova780’.

3. Plants of the new Sutera are more freely flowering and flower morecontinuously during the summer than plants of ‘Danova780’.

Plants of the new Sutera can be compared to plants of the Sutera cordata‘Danova906’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,789. In side-by-sidecomparisons, plants of the new Sutera differ primarily from plants of‘Danova906’ in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Sutera are not as trailing as plants of‘Danova906’.

2. Plants of the new Sutera have larger flowers than plants of‘Danova906’.

3. Plants of the new Sutera are more freely flowering and flower morecontinuously during the summer than plants of ‘Danova906’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Sutera plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Sutera plant.

At the top of the photographic sheet (FIG. 1) is a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘WINSUSNOGB’ grown in a container and atthe bottom of the photographic sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflowering plant of ‘WINSUSNOGB’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown during the spring in 15-cm containersin a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada andunder cultural practices typical of commercial Sutera production. Duringthe production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 27° C. and nighttemperatures averaged 15° C. Plants were pinched three weeks afterpropagating rooted cuttings and were six weeks from planting rootedcuttings when the photographs and description were taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Sutera cordata ‘WINSUSNOGB’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Sutera cordata, not patented.        -   Male or pollen parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Sutera cordata, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About seven to            ten days at soil temperatures ranging from about 21° C. to            22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three to            four weeks at soil temperatures ranging from about 21° C. to            22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four to            five weeks at soil temperatures ranging from about 21° C. to            22° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically            creamy white in color, actual color of the roots is            dependent on substrate composition, water quality,            fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and            physiological age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Low mounding to outwardly spreading            and trailing plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit;            moderate growth rate.        -   Plant height.—About 11.8 cm.        -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 46.9 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; when pinched, about            four primary lateral branches each with up to 16 secondary            lateral branches develop per plant; dense and bushy plant            form.        -   Length, primary laterals.—About 25.5 cm.        -   Diameter, primary laterals.—About 2.7 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 2.2 cm.        -   Strength.—Moderately strong.        -   Aspect.—Horizontally spreading to trailing.        -   Texture and luster.—Moderately to densely pubescent; matte.        -   Color, developing.—Close to 144B.        -   Color, developed.—Close to 148A; at the internodes, close to            147A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate; after flowering,            opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 2.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 2.3 cm.        -   Shape.—Broadly elliptic.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Dentate, not lobed.        -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Sparsely            pubescent; matte.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 138A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation,            close to 144B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 147B; venation, close to 144B.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster, upper and            lower surfaces: Moderately pubescent; matte. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 144A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement.—Large single salverform flowers; freely            flowering habit with potentially about 720 flower buds and            open flowers per plant at one time; flowers face mostly            upright then turning outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flowering habit.—Early flowering habit, plants begin            flowering about five weeks after planting; long flowering            season, plants flower continuously from the spring until the            autumn in Southern Ontario.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about five days on the plant;            flowers not persistent.        -   Flower diameter.—About 2.7 cm.        -   Flower length (height).—About 1.3 cm.        -   Throat diameter.—About 7 mm.        -   Tube length.—About 1 cm.        -   Tube diameter, base.—About 1.5 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 11 mm. Diameter: About 4.8 mm.            Shape: Obovate. Texture and luster: Densely pubescent;            matte. Color: Close to N155A; at the base, close to 163C.        -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five per flower in a            single whorl; fused at the base. Lobe length: About 9.4 mm.            Lobe width: About 11 mm. Lobe shape: Roughly orbicular. Lobe            apex: Obtuse, rounded. Lobe margin: Entire, slightly to            moderately undulate. Texture and luster, petal lobes, upper            surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Texture and luster, petal            lobes, lower surface: Slightly to moderately pubescent;            matte. Texture and luster, throat: Moderately pubescent,            matte. Texture and luster, tube: Densely pubescent, matte.            Color. Petal lobes, when opening, upper and lower surfaces:            Close to NN155B. Petal lobes, fully opened, upper and lower            surfaces. Close to NN155B; venation, close to NN155B; color            does not change with development. Throat: Close to 23A.            Tube: Close to 22B and towards the base, close to 157D.        -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five per flower in a            single whorl; fused at the base; calyx, star-shaped. Length:            About 5.8 mm. Width: Less than 1 mm. Shape: Lanceolate to            linear. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster,            upper surface: Slightly pubescent; matte. Texture and            luster, lower surface: Slightly to moderately pubescent;            matte. Color. When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close            to 144A. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            146A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 13.2 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm.            Angle: About 30° from vertical. Strength: Moderately strong.            Texture and luster: Moderately to densely pubescent; matte.            Color: Close to 137B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium. Quantity of stamens per            flower: About four. Filament length: About 1 cm. Filament            color: Close to 157D. Anther size: About 1.5 mm by 1 mm.            Anther shape: Oval. Anther color: Close to 13A. Amount of            pollen: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 14A. Gynoecium.            Quantity of pistils per flower: One. Pistil length: About            1.3 cm. Style length: About 1 cm. Style color: Close to            145B. Stigma size: About 1 mm by 2 mm. Stigma shape:            Lanceolate. Stigma color: Close to 145B. Ovary color: Close            to 144A.        -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit production have            not been observed on plants of the new Sutera.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Sutera have been observed to    have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and to be    suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 9 to 11.-   Pathogen & pest tolerance: To date, plants of the new Sutera have    not been observed to be tolerant to pathogens and pests common to    Sutera plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Sutera plant named ‘WINSUSNOGB’ asillustrated and described.